Khadambi's House: Composer-in-Residence

LSO Discovery’s Children's Hospitals programme works with infants and children aged 0-18 in hospitals across London, many of whom suffer from chronic, life-threatening or terminal illness. LSO players and workshops leaders engage in one-to-one bedside visits and small group sessions, as well as working in pre-existing hospital school units.

Music soothes the savage beast‘Together with LSO players, I make around 15 early years hospital visits a year – that’s out of a total of of 36 visits overall, involving over 500 children and families. We visit places like King’s College, Royal London and Whipp’s Cross with one simple aim: to improve the daily lives of ill children.

My speciality is young children and babies. Hospitals are stressful environments full stop; the psychological vulnerability that accompanies childhood only compounds a difficult situation. Our sessions are gentle, private and spontaneous – we take our cue from the children, each of whom is totally unique. We witness so many positive results: escapism from a frightening environment of noisy machines and adult conversations. Access to important, unrealised emotions. Catharsis. It’s about expressing yourself without words, having a troubled mind nursed without medicine.

And mums, dads and nurses feel the benefit too. Our sessions are a stabilising, hopeful force in a so often unstable, bleak environment. Finally, sound mental health is an irrefutable driver of physical recovery. It constantly amazes me that by doing comparatively little we can make such profound shifts.’

25 years of education and community

25 years of education and community work through LSO Discovery.

In 2015 LSO Discovery, the Orchestra’s world-leading music education and community programme, celebrated a quarter of a century.

It all began in the late 1980s, when LSO cellist Francis Saunders began to explore how the Orchestra could incorporate education work into its schedule. In 1990 the LSO appointed its first Head of Education and three years later the increasingly innovative programme was re-named LSO Discovery.

Read the full brochure:

Education and outreach is now an inextricable part of the LSO’s DNA. LSO Discovery exists to offer inspiring musical experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds who have not necessarily had much contact with classical music and musicians.

It also provides support and training for emerging young instrumentalists, composers and conductors, and gives insight into music for members of the public who would like to learn more. LSO Discovery work is captured and disseminated digitally, for individual enthusiasts, learners and teachers in the UK and worldwide. LSO Discovery brings LSO Members into contact with a wider public, as well as developing their interests and skills.

'The LSO's Discovery programme has been a source of great pleasure to me as a player... The spirit that motivates the Orchestra's activity is something rare and I hope that it enriches the lives of those with whom we come into contact.' Robert Turner, LSO viola.

By including LSO Discovery participants in the highest profile events, such as international tours, the 2012 Olympic Games and concerts with Sir Simon Rattle, the LSO demonstrates its belief in the immutable place of music education as the foundation of all great music-making.

Early Years Workshops

Concerts for Under-5s

Family Concerts

We also run a series of workshops for local children’s centres and nurseries which help reach those who might not be able to make it to our homes at the Barbican and LSO St Luke's. Please visit the Early Years Outreach page to read more about this work.

You can also join us at LSO St Luke's on 30 October for a Family Open Day based on the Roald Dahl book The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me.

Early Years Outreach report

In 2012 Youth Music commissioned LSO Discovery to work with researchers from Exeter University. A report was published on the early years outreach work led by Vanessa King in local Children’s Centres and Nurseries. The report was accompanied by short video clips which highlight the different ways in which Vanessa works to draw out the best from the children and carers, both individually and as a group.

“All music starts with singing”

Experience great choral music in the concert hall and by taking part.

LSO Sing aims to reach as much of the London community as possible, not only through encouraging people to experience great choral music in the concert hall, but also by providing a range of opportunities for people to take part and get singing themselves.

From presenting stunning concerts at the Barbican with the London Symphony Chorus, to inspiring our local community to take part in the LSO Discovery and Community Choirs, to open workshops for all, singing really is at the heart of the Orchestra’s music-making.

There are a number of ways to get involved and to be part of the growing choral hub here at the LSO:

Friday Lunchtime Concerts

Open Rehearsals & Workshops

Discovery Days

Concerts and workshops

Concerts and workshops for young people of school age.

This year the London Symphony Orchestra will welcome 15,000 young people to amazing concerts at the Barbican and LSO St Luke’s. In addition, over 2,000 young East Londoners will get together with musicians from the LSO to showcase their incredible musical talent.

Find out how you can get involved in projects – as a young person taking part in music making projects, a school coming to see the LSO perform at the Barbican or LSO St Luke's, or as a teacher through our Continuing Professional Development Scheme for Primary Teachers.

Music CPD for Schools

LSO On Track

Secondary School Events

Enhancing quality of life and wellbeing

Public events and private bespoke workshops in informal settings.

The LSO Discovery community programme includes both public events and private bespoke workshops for all ages, which take place outside of a formal setting.

Each of these projects has a friendly community-based feel which draws in a regular crowd, whilst also reaching out to new people who might not experience the LSO inside the concert hall.

Our community projects are just as much about enhancing participants’ quality of life and wellbeing as they are about providing high quality music opportunities. We work with a wide range of people, including infants in hospitals, local teenagers, adults with learning disabilities, and adults who want to learn more about music.

Hospital Visits

Digital Technology Group

Community Gamelan Group

LSO Create

Opportunities for young composers, performers and conductors

Opportunities for young composers, performers and conductors.

The LSO offers opportunities to the next generation of young talented musicians - performers, composers and conductors - through masterclasses, workshops, intensive coaching and opportunities to play alongside the Orchestra at the Barbican.